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“There was fighting to be done on this trip, Roslyn. Besides, I needed you here watching after my ship.”
“But I can fight, Captain. Papa’s been teaching me.” She reaches behind her too-big britches and pulls out a small dagger.
“Roslyn, you’re six years old. Give it ten more, then we’ll see.”
Her eyes scrunch up in a glare. Then she lunges for me.
She’s quick, I’ll give her that, but I still dodge her blade effortlessly. Without pausing, she swings back around andswipes at me. I leap backward, then kick the dagger out of her reach. She crosses her arms defiantly.
“All right,” I say, “we’ll check again in eight years. Satisfied?”
She smiles, then rushes in to give me another hug.
“You’d think I didn’t exist,” Wallov says to Deros from somewhere behind me.
Roslyn, hearing him, lets go and runs to him. “I was getting to you, Papa.”
I survey everyone else on board. I left twelve behind to guard the ship. They’re all on deck now, save our two newest recruits.
“Was there any trouble?” I ask Niridia.
“It was downright boring. And you?”
“We saw some action. Nothing we couldn’t handle. And we brought back some prizes.” I pull out the makeshift necklace by the cord, displaying the map for everyone to see. I have a copy of the first two map pieces already, and while we sail back to the keep, I’ll have Mandsy create a replica of the new one. Father will lead the journey to the Isla de Canta, but I want to be prepared should we get separated or tragedy befall his ship. It would be foolish to have only one copy of such valuable items.
Over by the port side, Teniri, the ship’s purser, peers over toward the carriage and asks, “What else? Anything of the sparkling, gold variety, Captain?”
Mandsy and the girls make their way up the gangplank. It takes four of them to lift each chest. Deros and Wallov have already deposited our prisoner, cage and all, onto the deck of the ship. Vordan lies there, gagged and ignored, as the girls all circle around the chests. Until everyone is divvied out their fairshare, no one is permitted to touch the gold except Teniri. She’s the oldest on the ship at twenty-six. Though she’s still plenty young, she has a gray streak of hair on the back of her head that she tries to hide in a braid. Anyone who dares to mention it gets a swift kick to the gut.
She raises the lids of both chests at once, revealing a hefty amount of gold and silver coins, and some priceless gems and stones.
“All right,” I say. “You’ve had your chance to look at it. Let’s get it stored safely and be on our way.”
“What about him?” Wallov asks. He kicks the cage, and Vordan wrinkles his nose at him, not bothering to attempt yelling through the gag.
“I’d have you put him in the brig, but I need to stock up tonight. Better be the infirmary, then. Keep him in the cage.”
“Captain,” Niridia says. “The infirmary is already occupied by a prisoner.”
I hadn’t forgotten. I would never forgethim.
“He will be relocated,” I say.
“To where?”
“I’ll handle it. See that everything else gets put in its proper place. Where’s Kearan?”
“I’ll give you one guess.”
I huff out a breath of air. “Get him out of my rum supply and to the helm. We’re leaving now.” Far, far away from the stench of horse. I need a bath.
After my previous navigator lost her life during the battle on theNight Farer, I stole Kearan from Riden’s ship. He’s auseless drunk most of the time, but he’s also the finest helmsman I’ve ever seen. Though I’d never tell him that.
I turn toward the infirmary and stare at the door.
I haven’t laid eyes on Riden in two months. Instead, I put him in Mandsy’s care, trusting her to help his legs heal and see that he gets food every day. Were it anyone else, the idea of leaving her alone with him would make my blood boil. But Mandsy’s never shown an inch of interest toward men or women. She’s just not made that way.
So, as the ship’s doctor, I ordered her to take care of him and give me updates: when she took out his stitches, when he started walking on his bad leg again.
